


October Moments

by RazleDazle



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Blood, Bullying, Car Accidents, Crying, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 05:44:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8359456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RazleDazle/pseuds/RazleDazle
Summary: October always seemed like the best time for Link.   It was because it invoked memories that both men held in the privacy of their own friendship, secret from their wives and viewers. Times where Rhett was tender with him, held him and loved him and times when they were not afraid to let their bond show.





	1. What They Don't Know

**Author's Note:**

> There is harmony in autumn, and a lustre in it sky, which through the summer is not heard or see, as if it could not be as it had not been.  
> –Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

 

October always seemed like the best time for Link. True, spring was a time for rebirth and growth and New Years was a time for starting over and striving to be a better person. Yet, Link always favored autumn.  The misty crisp mornings sitting near the window wrapped in a fuzzy sweater with a cup of coffee warming his hands.  The cool breeze and smell of earth.  The way the burnt orange leaves would dance on the wind and land in his hair. Spending hours raking up bushels of those leaves, only to jump into them and scatter them away, starting the whole process over again.  It was a time where he would spend his nights staring into the burning pile of colors that he had raked up for a second time, contemplating the wonder of his life.  

The best and most important reason Link loved autumn was because of the memories it invoked. The times when Rhett had protected him, held him and loved him. Autumn strengthened their friendship and coated his heart in nothing but pure love and adoration for his best friend.  These were the times that Link lived for.

Many moments in his life have been shared on the internet for comedic effect.  His life was an open book to the GMM followers and he was happy in knowing that fact. He smiled thinking about the many personal anecdotes he and Rhett had shared on their various talk shows, interviews and broadcasts, laughing and jibing at each other.  Times that have made them smile in nostalgia.  These are moments that everyone knows about.  

There are also moments that they have kept to themselves hidden from their viewers and even their wives.  Sweet moments, only meant for each other that they relive in the privacy of their friendship. Times when they were tender with each other and not afraid to let their love for each other and the strength of their bond show.  

But, there are those moments that Link alone holds onto. Things that he has kept from his best friend, not to lie or hide, but to cherish on his own in the seclusion of his own heart and mind.  These are moments that he revisits when he is alone and frightened, when he is away from Rhett and missing him.

Alone, in his mother’s back yard, far away from home and Rhett, these are the moments that fire through his neurons and bounce around in his heart as his eyes stare at the glimmering flames that engulf the bright autumn leaves.   

———-

Everyone knows that Rhett defended Link against the bully, John Carson. It was soccer season and the wind whipped the fire red leaves around the field as children took turns kicking soccer balls into empty soccer nets. Link swears to Rhett that he doesn’t remember the exact details of that day, but the truth is he remembers everything.  

He recalls the frustration of being so little and inadequate. The blush that heated his cheeks when the older and larger boy poked fun at him. The rush of embarrassment at the snickers of the other boys on the soccer team. Wondering why everyone was staring at him and no one would come to his rescue.  

If this had happened in the here and now, he would laugh and brush it off and own up to his lack of talent on the field. Back then, when he was so small and young, he didn’t know how to deal with the negative people of the world. He wasn’t as confident and sure of himself, he was meek and mild and fearful.  

With his head down, trying to hide his face against his light blue uniform, he didn’t see Rhett fly at the larger boy. He did hear the contact that his fist made with the older boy’s stomach. A soft and squishy slamming sound. Looking up, he saw Rhett’s body quavering, his fists balled at his sides and his face red with anger.  

Rhett gave one final long stare at the older boy, as if daring the other boy to say something or do something. Silence stretched on until the bully slowly turned around with hands around his midsection and sat down in the grass. Rhett slowly nodded his head and pivoted, rejoining the others who were practicing.  

People saw what happened, but said nothing. Rhett was so much taller than everyone else that they didn’t dare poke fun at Link again.  Rhett had not only saved him that day, but communicated to everyone else that he had Link’s back if someone were dumb enough to say an ill phrase to the shorter boy again.

What people don’t know was that Rhett came over to Link’s house that evening. Out in the driveway, Rhett helped Link practice. Kicking in between each other’s legs, Rhett showed him how to control his feet, steal the soccer ball and how to score a goal. With a smile, Rhett let Link score a few goals against him, cheering each time Link was successful.  Rhett boosted his confidence with high fives and bear hugs, slapping his shoulder and laughing.  

What Link only knows is that his heart swelled with gratitude for all Rhett had done for him that day and something else. Something else his young heart couldn’t understand or pinpoint.  But something powerful and something that made him smile when he thought of his best friend. He never mentioned it to anyone, not even Rhett, but it was a moment that he wouldn’t forget. An unshakable bond had been cemented between the two boys.  Link knew deep down that Rhett would always be there.  


	2. What They Don't See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone knows they could have died that night. But more than that, Rhett was not wearing is seat belt. His best friend could have perished that night and it would be all his fault. 
> 
> Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. –F. Scott Firzgerald

Everyone knows that they could have died that night. Link could have killed all his friends and himself because he wasn’t paying attention to the road. He was too wrapped up in speeding away from the house that he and his friends had just egged that he didn’t notice the big red octagon stop sign, didn’t anticipate the turn he needed to make and didn’t see that the road had ended. He can still taste fear, metallic and salty, as he slammed on the brakes trying to correct his mistake.  The car slid off the road and slammed into the ditch, popping up into the freshly harvested field.   

Dazed, he remembers looking up from his trembling hands on the steering wheel, the sudden panic overwhelming him that everyone was dead.  Hearing Rhett’s nervous laughter, he whipped his head up to see his best friend and their mutual friend Heather still alive in the seat next to him.  He noticed that Rhett was holding himself, eyes wide and a slight blue bruise forming on his forehead.  Looking to his left and seeing the spiderwebbed windshield, he understood what had caused the discoloration.  Barely registering that he had stumbled out the car, he saw nothing but darkness.  There were no stars or moon to cast a glimmering light on the scene.  Every dark shape blended into the night and caused a creeping sensation up Link’s spine.  The dirt beneath his feet was moist and made a slippery sound with every shuffle of his feet.  

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of movement and saw broken eggs on the ground. Yellow and slimy white oozing into the dark earth.  Several feet beyond that he saw his friends shakily getting to their feet from the place where they had been thrown from the truck bed.  To his right, he saw more scattered bodies twisting and staggering. His head still full of fog from the whole ordeal, all he could hear were Rhett’s girlfriend Amber’s screams.  His eyes glazed over and he was no longer able to take in the scene.  He felt trapped, rooted in place.  It wasn’t fear or panic or relief that had him tied down.  His brain had disconnected and his eyes were wet.  

Not knowing how long he stood there staring into the blackness, a cool familiar hand shook him out of his daze.  The next thing Link knew, they had pushed the car out of the ditch and sought help at the preacher’s house. Now he sat next to Rhett on the curb, blankets wrapped around their shoulders, listening to the commotion of police, sirens, angry and concerned parents and the chirp chirp of grasshoppers, bright flashes of the police sirens obscuring his vision.

Link’s mother still had not arrived and he was nervous and happy to finally see her car screech into a parking spot nearby.    His mother couldn’t decide if she was angry or concerned given the hugs and tears, peppered with head slaps and how could you be so careless and immature scolding.  He barely felt the stings or heard his mother’s voice. His mind was on the terrible situation he had caused. His eyes were vacant and his heart was heavy and empty.  

What people don’t understand was that in his room later that night, Link paced the floor.  He wrung his hands and punched his fist into his arm.  He tried to lay down, but tossed and turned.  He was up and down, pacing, screaming internally for hours.  They could have died that night. But more than that, Rhett had not been wearing his seat belt. His best friend of ten years could have perished that night and it would have been his fault.  The shock of the accident was still fresh. His body was tense and the adrenaline was still coursing through his veins hours later with the thoughts of what ifs.   

What people don’t know was that Rhett had climbed in to Link’s window. Rhett had anticipated Link’s guilt and knew his mind would not let him rest.  He knew his best friend and knew what he needed more than Link knew.  What people didn’t see was the way Rhett climbed into Link’s bed and held the smaller boy close to his body. Comforting him and whispering how much he loved him and that he is ok, everyone is ok, Link is ok, that there is nothing for Rhett to forgive and that Link needs to stop hating himself, because it was just an accident. The sweet words caressed Link’s ears and settled in the back of his brain calming his frantic self abasement.

Thinking his best friend asleep, Rhett brushed his lips across the smaller boy’s forehead and petted his dark hair.  What Link only knows is that he was in fact in between sleep and reality and felt the feather soft lips on his brow and the strong hands tugging at his locks.  His dreams were filled with Rhett that night, his full soft lips, warm hands and sweet baritone voice.  

This was the moment that Link realized that he and Rhett were a team, an unstoppable force.  That their lives would intersect to the point that they wouldn’t be able to see where one person ended and the other began.  He knew that they would always be there to support one another and that their shared lives would lead them to something wonderful and bigger than the two of them could accomplish alone.

————-

 _Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile_. –William Bryant

Autumn was different in Los Angeles, California than in Buies Creek, North Carolina.  The familiar sights and smells of autumn were absent from the air.  The wet cool mornings were replaced with dry warm days. Coloring trees were replaced with colorful people and sunny cloudless skies. It didn’t stop Link from enjoying his favorite season with his favorite person, Rhett.  

Everyone knows that Rhett and Link enjoy paddle boarding in the ocean. They took their paddle boards to the LA beach intending to make the most of the October morning.  Undulating waves were meeting the soft sand in a splash of white and blue and the air was salty.  Link looked over the never ending expanse, a small smile twitching the corners of his mouth.

Running into the surf with his eleven and a half foot board, he let the waves carry him further out.   He looked back toward the beach and made out a tall figure standing where the ocean met the sand. He let his eyes settle on the figure that he assumed was Rhett as Rhett gazed out toward him.  The air was still and quiet.  All alone rocking in the waves, a sense of calm settled over him.  

Hopping up on his paddle board, he attempted to catch a small wave that was rolling toward him.  All at once the wave picked up speed and became larger than anticipated. Knowing he was not experienced enough for this, he fell backwards off his board, as the board went straight up into the air and came down with a loud smack and crack.  

Everyone knew the story of how Link broke his board on a larger than expected wave. Everyone just assumed it to be another humorous story, where Link does something silly and Rhett laughs at the ridiculous situation.

What people don’t understand is that Rhett felt a cold slice of fear run through his body as he witnessed the whole scene unfold in front of him, but at a distance. Upon hearing the scary snapping sound, he was wading out in an instant, praying his friend was safe.

His strong arms and muscled legs brought him upon Link as he was pulling his head out of the swirling ocean and gripping his board as he took shaky breaths.  His hand was cut and he was bleeding onto his board and into the ocean.  Link was pale and shaking as he whispered Rhett’s name. Rhett’s hands were on Link in an instant, gathering the bleeding man into his arms and dragging him and his board back to the shore.  

What people didn’t see was Rhett lay his friend on the warm sand, drying his body off and wrapping him in a towel.  People didn’t see the tear that slipped out of the larger man’s eye at the sight of his friend in pain, trying with all his might to take it away.  They didn’t witness Rhett administer first aid to Link’s cut, seeing his friend open and close his eyes, trying to stay conscious. He gently washed the sand and blood away with antiseptic and rubbed some Neosporin over the cut, massaging Link’s entire hand.  Bandaging the cut only when he was satisfied that it was cleaned and prepared thoroughly enough.

What people don’t know was that Rhett sat close to his friend with his knees touching Link’s side as he held Link’s hand.  Sitting still as a statue, willing his friend to come back to him, forcing the pain away from the slack small body with just the strength of his mind. He watched Link’s color slowly return to his cheeks and saw that Link was able to sit up without his body swaying.

What Link only knows was that the soft slightly damp palms of his friend comforted him down to his soul.  Made him feel safe and warm as he floated in and out of consciousness from the sight of his own blood. That the gaze of Rhett’s green eyes staring deep into his own made him feel like the most important being on the planet.   

Link knew that in this moment, Rhett was his watchful eye. He would always take care of Link and be there in times of crisis. Link knew he could count on Rhett for anything and everything.  That Rhett would be the sturdy foundation of their friendship.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Rhink Fall Ficathon 2016, 
> 
> Chapter 2 based off Our Stupid Near Death Experience and Rhett’s Surfing Accident


	3. What They Don't Understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link would walk through fire for Rhett. The years they have spent together and Rhett, who had chosen to spend his days with Link and walk this treacherous life together, has made all the difference. He was living his best life with his best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every leaf speaks bliss to me fluttering from the autumn tree. –Emily Bronte

 

 

Everyone saw the Ghost pepper challenge.  It was one of Good Mythical Morning’s most popular episodes. The crew and fans laughed at the antics of the pair of friends eating gross things before and this was compounded by the fact that both had such a visceral reaction to the pepper.  This episode was no different than any other gross food challenge they had attempted. Except that it was.   **  
**

In the early afternoon sunshine, Rhett was coming down from the high of the ghost pepper.  The flames that had engulfed his mouth, esophagus and gut were subsiding as he inhaled more of the fresh October air.  

Link had followed Rhett outside. Jibing and funning each other, Rhett tried to talk Link into trying the ghost pepper, well, more like hounded him into it.  Link really didn’t mind.  He was curious anyway and he would do anything to entertain his fans and make his friend smile.  So they walked side by side back to the studio where he bit into the ghost pepper, looked down at it and immediately regretted his decision.  

Sweat poured down his face, back and armpits.  His mouth felt like it was on fire. The burning traveled from his tongue all the way down through his bowels causing painful fiery bursts up and down his digestive track.  

“It was like a nightmare that you can’t get out of. I have lived a taste nightmare.” Link claimed as the episode ended.  “I have never seen that look on your face. Are you ok, Link?” Rhett asked as Link jumped up and ran for the bathroom.  Link slammed the door and dropped in front of the toilet, his whole body rejecting the nastiness that he just consumed. 

 What people didn’t know was that Rhett  was immediately concerned when he saw the vacant eyes and his friend squirming in his seat.  True concern hid behind each laugh and outrageous face Rhett made as he willed his friend to eat some of the ice cream to soothe himself, because he couldn’t while the cameras were rolling. As his friend ran to the bathroom, Rhett was close at his friend’s heels and inside the bathroom with Link before Link had a chance to close and lock the door.   Link retched up all his stomach contents and dry heaved until his body was sore.

What people didn’t see was the tender ways in which Rhett touched Link to comfort him.  Swiping damp sweaty hair out of his eyes, rubbing his back and arms, singing softly to him.   Handing him mouthwash and a wet towel in between fits of gagging.  What people didn’t hear were all the words that Rhett used to try to soothe the brunette, I’m sorry man, you’re ok, you did it, I’m proud of you, I’m here.  

They spent the better part of twenty minutes on the floor of the bathroom, Link dry heaving and Rhett wiping Link’s face and arms with a cold cloth. Link letting Rhett’s voice wash over him and cool his fiery insides. With everything expelled and his body limp, he put the lid of the toilet down and rested his head against the cool porcelain, as he let Rhett rub his arms and neck.

What Link only knew was that he would walk through fire for this man who had his hands on his back, rubbing the tense muscles loose.  It was like they had been through a battle together and had come out alive and strong on the other side.  If they could put their bodies through this hell, they could do anything together. In this moment, Link realized how powerful the pair of them really was.  They were two halves of the same soul, a matched set, stronger and smarter together than they ever would be alone. Link knew how steadfast his love for Rhett was and vice versa.  He relished in the touch and feel of Rhett as they sat side by side on the cold tile.  Enjoying their steady and comfortable friendship, Link would hold on to this moment for a long time.   

————–

_Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower_. –Albert Camus

Fast forward many many years. Everyone saw their broadcast of the one thousandth episode on the cool October morning.  It was a heavily emotional episode for Link, as he listened to his best friend say, “When we started this show several years ago, I definitely didn’t think we would make it this far.”  Link could barely believe that the time had gone by so quickly. He had trouble comprehending the years of triumphs of increased subscribers, sponsors, popularity and success.  But he also recalled the times of uncertainty, the times things didn’t seem to go as planned, the times where he was unsure that they would be able to continue their dream together.

All the positive and negative, all the hopes and dreams and happiness and sadness swirled in his gut as he listened to all the friends and fans congratulate them and thank them for being a bright spot in their lives. A thousand episodes where fans saw them put themselves out there, be vulnerable, share stories and jokes, make each other laugh and in the process, Link thought hopefully, make viewers laugh and smile as well. This was their baby, their greatest and most successful creative project to date.  Link held back tears throughout the episode, but as he and Rhett’s voice rose up, “Two dudes behind one desk/ When I look to right i see you /And when I look to my left i see you /Hashtag blessed.” his tears threatened the surface.  

Link was grateful for the silly atmosphere the crew provided in Good Mythical More. It was a happy diversion from the swelling of his heart at how far he and Rhett had come.  How thankful he was to his best friend for accompanying him on this journey and pushing him through the rough spots.  Link stifled the urge to grab Rhett and hold him close and not let go.  

Finally the stream ended, with a “Thanks again” and happy whoops and hollers from the Mythical Entertainment team.  With a big smile and a huge thank you to each crew member, Link escaped to the solitude of their shared office.

What people don’t understand is that Rhett could feel the nervous and sad energy emanating off his best friend throughout the entire episode.  He tried his best to transfer his strength and happy energy into the brunette and he hoped that with every touch and every look, Link could feel his support and love.  When Link started to cry, Rhett could feel his friend’s heart as if it were his own heart beating within his chest. Hiding his face, he began to tear up as he absorbed Link’s emotions, trying to take all the pain onto himself and away from his friend.  

What people don’t know, is that when Link fled to the quiet of their office, Rhett dismissed the crew and followed after him.  Coming upon a blubbering mess, Rhett quietly closed and locked the door, and quickly enveloped his friend of thirty plus years into his arms into a deep and lasting hug.  We did it. We made it, Rhett whispered into Link’s hair.

What Link only knows is that hug and those words made all the difference. Rhett had solidified the success they had earned together. It had chased away all the unhappy memories and doubts of their future. It helped Link regain control of his breathing and his wildly beating heart.  That hug, the years they have spent together and Rhett, who had chosen to spend his days with Link and walk this treacherous life together, has made all the difference. He was living his best life with his best friend.  This is a moment Link will never forget.  

———-

Autumn was full of happy lasting memories for Link.  Memories that were filled with Rhett, his touch, his warmth, his deep vibrating voice.  In the dead of night as he watched the flames extinguish themselves and the debris float in the air, his body grew cold and restless.  Link was ready to go back home, back to where he left the other half of his heart.  He was ready to get back to his Rhett and make more October memories together.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my fic! Please leave a comment! They are appreciated.  
> Find me on Tumblr: Razle-Dazle
> 
> Written for Rhink Fall Ficathon 2016,   
> Prompt used: Setting piles of leave on fire
> 
> Chapter 3 stories based off:  
> Ghost pepper challenge  
> 1000th episode  
> GMMore 1000th episode

**Author's Note:**

> Story written for Rhink Fall Ficathon 2016, 
> 
> Prompt used: Setting piles of leave on fire
> 
> Chapter 1 based off the story told in Ear Biscuits: Sports


End file.
